Airborne 12.09.16

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Airborne 12.09.16

Next Phase Will Be Expansion Of Aircraft Capabilities

The first S-70i Black Hawk helicopter has successfully completed
production flight testing and will begin development and flight
testing of options that will be made available to international
customers. The aircraft has flown more than 50 hours in its
production flight test program. It will undergo extensive flight
testing in the coming months as options are integrated into the
aircraft.

Black Hawk File Photo

"The next phase of the program will expand the capability of the
aircraft, transitioning it from a baseline configuration to a
multi-faceted platform," said Debra A. Zampano, S-70i Senior
Program Manager, International Military Programs. "The aircraft has
performed to all program requirements and has made a smooth
transition from its production build in Poland through Sikorsky's
rigorous flight test program in Florida. The next phase of
development will produce a Black Hawk helicopter that the global
marketplace has never seen before."

Peter Ladyko, Chief of Test for the S-70i helicopter program
said, "The aircraft has undergone a detailed ground and flight test
program involving a number of systems, including dual exportable
radios, exportable transponder, emergency locator transmitter,
embedded dual GPS/INS navigation, and electromagnetic compatibility
testing. We look forward to expanding the platform to incorporate
additional options in the next phase."

The options that will be developed for the S-70i will enable
customers to perform missions such as humanitarian relief, search
and rescue, medical evacuation, command and control, and armed
patrol. Deliveries to the launch customer of the S-70i helicopter
program are slated to begin by mid-2011.

The S-70i helicopter utilizes a global supply chain and is the
first Black Hawk helicopter ever to be assembled in Europe. The
aircraft are being manufactured at PZL Mielec, Sikorsky Aircraft's
company in Poland.